AI Kernel Engineering Intern

About Modular

At Modular, we’re on a mission to revolutionize AI infrastructure by systematically rebuilding the AI software stack from the ground up. Our team, made up of industry leaders and experts, is building cutting-edge, modular infrastructure that simplifies AI development and deployment. By rethinking the complexities of AI systems, we’re empowering everyone to unlock AI’s full potential and tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

If you’re passionate about shaping the future of AI and creating tools that make a real difference in people’s lives, we want you on our team. You can read about our culture and careers to understand how we work and what we value.

What You Will Work On

As an AI Kernel Engineering Intern, you will work at the intersection of AI inference models and cutting edge, high-perform GPU kernels. You will help design, optimize, and benchmark low-level kernels that power modern AI workloads, with a focus on GPUs and emerging accelerators. Projects may include optimizing matrix operations, attention primitives, or custom operators; analyzing memory layouts and data movement; and collaborating with others to translate models into efficient, production-ready implementations.

LOCATION: Candidates based in the United States are welcome to apply. To support growth and collaboration, all interns will work in a hybrid capacity at our Los Altos, CA office (minimum 2 days per week on-site) with relocation assistance provided for out-of-state candidates.

What You Will Learn

You will gain hands-on experience with the internals of AI frameworks and hardware-aware optimization. This includes understanding how deep learning operators map to GPU architectures, writing and tuning GPU kernels, and using profiling tools to identify performance bottlenecks. You’ll also learn best practices for performance-critical code, numerical correctness, and collaborating across teams to deliver impactful improvements.

What You Bring To The Table

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• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science, Math, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Strong foundation in parallel programming, performance optimization, memory subsystem, or computer architecture
• Machine learning fundamentals, AI inference models, and modern AI workloads
• Proficiency in Python, C/C++, or any object-oriented languages
• Experience with CUDA, or other accelerator programming models is a plus
• A publication record is a nice-to-have
• Curious, detail-oriented, and excited in a fast-paced startup environment
  
  

What Modular Brings To The Table

Discover our full range of relocation jobs with comprehensive support packages to help you relocate and settle in your new location.

• Amazing Team. We are a progressive and agile team with some of the industry’s best engineering and product leaders.
• Competitive Compensation. We offer very strong compensation packages, including stock options. We want people to be focused on their best work and believe in tailoring compensation plans to meet the needs of our workforce.
• Team Building Events. We organize regular team onsites and local meetups in Los Altos, CA.
  
  

Working at Modular will enable you to grow quickly as you work alongside incredibly motivated and talented people who have high standards, possess a growth mindset, and a purpose to truly change the world.

The estimated base hourly range for this role is $47.00 - $65.00 USD.

The hourly rate for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of permissible, non-discriminatory job-related factors, which include but are not limited to education, training, work experience, business needs, or market demands. This range may be modified in the future.

For candidates who fall outside of the listed requirements, we nevertheless encourage you to apply as we may have openings that are lower/higher level than the ones advertised.